Architectural hot dip galvanizing - hdgasa

Architectural hot dip galvanizing
Rondebosch On Main Shopping Centre
The Rondebosch On Main Shopping
Centre in Main Road, Rondebosch,
was an exciting challenge presented by
the Developers, Acucap.
The site for the proposed two level
parking garage was small and it had to
be architecturally appealing and
enhance the aesthetics of the Centre
from the river side.
Furthermore, the Centre had a history
of vandalism from vagrants living in
and around the river. This had to be
overcome.
Lastly, materials had to be used that
would keep maintenance to an
absolute minimum.
The hue of the matt grey hot dip galvanized steelwork significantly blends into the general
aesthetics of the building.
Off-shutter concrete, as far as possible
for the parking decks, beams and
columns was the obvious choice.
Together with this are a number of
other items that required detailing.
The architects wanted to use materials
that could soften the ‘heaviness’ of the
concrete. Steel was the obvious
answer. Questions arose:
1. The area has a moderate marine
exterior atmosphere.
2. Painting was going to require ongoing
maintenance.
3. Pedestrian traffic (students) was
heavy.
4. Economic considerations.
Considering the above, it was decided
that the vertical circulation, staircases,
between the parking decks, the hand
railing to the perimeter wall of the
parking deck, the stair hand rails, the
façade treatment, pergolas, etc., etc.,
would all be designed in steel and hot
dip galvanized.
Not only hot dip galvanized but left in
the natural state to weather slowly and
adopt the natural colour produced by
a metallurgical reaction between iron
and the coating material, molten zinc.
The newly galvanized steel,
understandably would be bright and
shiny when arriving on site and
initially installed, but over a period of
time this coating would oxidise in the
air and form a ‘dull’ less obvious
protective coating.
Furthermore, a decorative coating over
the hot dip galvanizing was considered
too expensive and once convinced that
the hot dip galvanizing was the
protective coating as well as an
acceptable final product, the client
understood that this form of corrosion
protection and prevention was an
essential factor in the economic
utilisation of structural and decorative
steel.
Facts about Hot Dip Galvanizing,
Practical Guidelines, important extract:
“Provision of the appropriate protective coating
can bring initial savings plus substantial
economies in service, due to the reduction or
elimination of maintenance and lost service
time, and by deferring the replacement date of
structures and equipment.”
The architect soon realised that there
was no limit to what could be done
and hence a combination of hot dip
galvanized steel and hardwood timber
was used extensively.
continued on page 14...
All vertical circulation, staircases between parking decks, are hot dip galvanized for minimum maintenance.
Volume 9 Issue 3 2012 Hot Dip Galvanizing Today 13